Ideas for Australian Rugby Union

[stoff]

Take a leaf from the WWF and develop some real bad arse dudes that we can all love to hate. If there are none on the current playing roster, then direct one to become one. I am the boss of the ARU and I am your paymaster. You will do what you are told!!!

Stone Cold Steve Moore - love it. Although I think you mean WWE - unless you are suggesting we get some bad arse pandas playing for us. Now that would be entertainment.

I think an effective junior program like the AFL do with Auskick is essential. The AFL have 100,000 kiddies between 5 and 12 out there every weekend in their program. Back-up with either TV or live games, and getting the players out to the schools is important to supplement this and keep the imagination alive for the kiddies.

 

[chief]

Win a test or two?

In terms of Brisbane, I'd love to see a match taken to Skilled Park on the Gold Coast, and a trial match on the Sunny Coast. Sunny Coast is where Rugby has a huge chance in, the success of the Stingrays this year shows that it really needs to be done. Embracing those areas more.

For Sydney, abandon the Homebush idea, and take it to Parra Stadium or CUA Stadium rather than Homebush.

Give Subiaco a Bledisloe, forget the $$$ for a few years. They are sick of the same old teams playing there.

 

[ChargerWA]

Have the Wallabies win more, like the post's above stated how many more kids wanted to play Rugby when the Wallabies are on top of the world. To achieve this, bring back the national competiton between the S15 teams, blood more young players at a higher level, have greater depth to choose from and hopefully to this end, more success. Accept that the financial loss associated with running the competition is the price you pay for more success at international level.

More games couldn't hurt either, here in the west, we have 6 or 7 Force home games a year and two Wobbly games at best (which is probably about the same as the Eastern states, but your state comps are of a much higher standard).

 

[stoff]

ChargerWA - you're post just gave me an idea. Why don't we introduce a Ranfurlie Shield type of trophy that the 5 Australian Super 15 teams play off for. Something to add a bit more spice to some of the non-traditional rivalries and generate a few more column inches in the press.

 

[ChargerWA]

As an afterthought, teach the public through advertising how much fun it is when your state team get to play international competitors every other week.

The afl fans went rabid for the joke that was International Rules, apparently watching your favourite footballers bash skinny irishmen is all the more fun because they are not just bashing other Australians. In rugby we get that every other week, for me the extra intrigue of the true international nature of the game is one of the highlights.

 

[ChargerWA]

ChargerWA - you're post just gave me an idea. Why don't we introduce a Ranfurlie Shield type of trophy that the 5 Australian Super 15 teams play off for. Something to add a bit more spice to some of the non-traditional rivalries and generate a few more column inches in the press.

There is certainly the rivalry to justify it.

 

[barbarian]

ChargerWA - you're post just gave me an idea. Why don't we introduce a Ranfurlie Shield type of trophy that the 5 Australian Super 15 teams play off for. Something to add a bit more spice to some of the non-traditional rivalries and generate a few more column inches in the press.

I think that is the best chance to get big games out at CUA or Parra Stadium or the Gold/Sunshine Coast. In reality they will never play tests there, but a good interstate fixture is nothing to poke a stick at. Take the game to the people, make it a carnival atmosphere. Tie it in with local juniors games or something.

 

[DPK]

A 30 minute weekly TV program that explains the Laws and history of Rugby Union. Some people disagree with educating people in this way, but most people have no idea what happens when the ball goes to ground. More people will watch and attend the game if they know what the hell is going on.

Great thread idea, SW.

 

[liquor box]

Here is a left fielder:

If Sookball can have a reality show about picking up an A league contract, what about one for a Rugby wannabe trying out to win a contract with one of the S15 franchises (academy contract for the younger types or S15 contract for a mature age unsigned talent).

I was thinking something similar today, but I would have a knockout comp between all schools and have the man of the match in the final get a junior contract with their province. I think getting junior rugby on TV would be great and a reality tv show where you can show kids enjoying the game live would be great.

 

[WB3]

I think all the suggestions for increasing participation and crowds in Aus are really good so far, I don't have much to add there tbh.

As for overseas/international growth, I said it in the Hong Kong Bledisloe thread, but here it is again (expanded):

If we want to grow the game internationally we need to find the biggest markets for sport in the world. That would have to be America. With their obsession with Australians (and New Zealanders) and their huge capacity to be led by celebrities, I think we could make the game of rugby hugely appealing to them. The idea of some exotic, brutal contact sport could be sold to the American public so well by using some star power. In the Hong Kong thread I suggested using Flight of the Conchords (for hilarity - imagine them explaining the game/rivalry. Look up Jermaine's Outback Steakhouse commercials) and Paul Hogan (duh). Any link between the stereotypical Australian and a real hard man's game would be amazing.
Some big, expensive advertising in America followed by an exhibition of amazing rugby would be a HUGE publicity builder and do wonders for rugby in America (and thus internationally - if it's big there it will be big everywhere). Also, an NFL Stars vs Wallabies style game would be great fun.

Anyway, that's probably thinking a bit big, and it doesn't account for the dent in our playing stocks that a big-money-weilding comp in the USA would cause. Still, I bet participation would go up.

 

[Henry]

-More rugby shows on tv (free to air) other than the rugby club
-In NSW multiple Shute shield matches televised each weekend, not just 'match of the round'
-Get oz tag in junior schools from a young age. I work at afterschool care a few days a week at a Syd primary school and we always play touch footy. Doing my bit to convert as many of them as i can to play rugby not sookball.
-Plain and simple better and more frequent advertising...
- Getting into the american market would be a huge plus for obvious reasons. 4th Bled should be in Denver...
- Rugby 11 for xbox/ps3 . Rugby 06/08 are awesome games so an updated version should get some new kids playing and loving the game!

 

[DPK]

- Rugby 11 for xbox/ps3 . Rugby 06/08 are awesome games so an updated version should get some new kids playing and loving the game!

It's on it's way. Should be out early next year, a new rugby game is being developed by HB Studios for Xbox 360 and PS3 only.

 

[Henry]

Wish EA was still doing it...

 

[DPK]

I'm glad they're not doing it, TBH. 05 was great, but they then proceded to change well... nothing, except update some of the jerseys and squads and remove the Lions tour when they made 08. Oh, and "improved defense" is something I'm pretty sure every EA game released has said.

 

[RugbyFuture]

ideas for the ARU; where do i get started!

 

[Jeffrey Calder]

Posted by Hugh Jarse:

We get popularity by appealing to the real young kids, thru their mothers. If we can hookem at a young age, we got'em for life.

Picking up on that thought, boosting the number of female players would knock on to playing/ex-playing mums being happy to let their little guys (and girls) start playing. My missus plays and was insistent that our lad started out in U7 as soon as he could and already has our 15 month little girl throwing the ball to us. I can't speak for anywhere else in the country, but in the ACT we would benefit greatly from a schoolgirls comp to cover the years between the girls having to stop playing with the boys in the juniors to when they're old enough to play in the women's comp.

 

[Bowside]

Get a player addicted to hard drugs. Then rehabilitate him and make a prime time tv doco about it.

But seriously, in addition to everything that has been said:

- I would also reform Qld club (and to a lesser extent Schoolboys) rugby. There are a whole host of small changes that could be made which would grow and improve the game.
- Develop a barefoot tag version of 7's for the kiddies. When I was going to school we were only aloud to play touch or sookball at lunch cause they didnt want people getting hurt playing rugby. Sookballs apeal lies in its simplicity, a simple version of our game would build some more casual appeal.
- 5 or 6 team domestic comp, which I've talked about in other threads.
- Get rugby in the papers and on T.V. even if it means sweet talking some sports journos into writing about it.
- A better experience at test matches, add some music, lower the price of tickets and beer. Encourage mexican waves, and have the ground anouncer pay out the people who dont join in.

 

[RugbyFuture]

Get a player addicted to hard drugs. Then rehabilitate him and make a prime time tv doco about it.

get 8 players to be in a gang bang with a new zealander, 10 years later come out with it, then applaud the most in the spotlight player by telling him his brave for coming out with it after the woman comes out with it, and gift him his own, successful, but continually made show...

 

[Bowside]

Conspire with the IRB, NZRU and English RU to kill off rugby league once and for all.

 

[Moses]

Stop paying good money for shit ads. I'd rather watch the Rugby Club's plays of the week than Forged in Union.....

They could look at the fan generated advert - stick a bunch of good clips on the web and throw in some tools that allow users to put them all together into an advert. Let them add voice overs etc, pick a winner and run that as your ad. Kids will love it.